Finding Love Interludes
by Poicale
Summary: Fluffy scenes of Remus and Cassius that fill parts of the story of 'Finding Love' and 'Back in Black'. SLASH! As the plot-bunnies hit, I'll be posting more to this 'story.' The chapters aren't in chronological order.
1. Interlude

Dedicated to Mon2. :-)

A fluffy Remus/Cassius fix of two little scenes that take place between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 in Finding Love.

**November Full Moon**

(takes place a little over a month after the end of Chapter 3)

"Why don't you make your bed bigger?" Cassius shifted gingerly on the twin bed in Remus's room.

"Because normally it's just me."

"Normally it's just you? I'm hurt! We've been dating a year now."

"Eight months that I've known about. And we hardly ever stay over here."

"Well…this is the fourth full moon I've come over so I think you need to make your bed bigger. It's an easy charm."

"Is it? Why don't you do it then?" Remus asked teasingly.

"Because I can't do easy charms, Remus." Cassius explained, sounding very put upon.

"We always sleep this close in your bed even though it's bigger, I don't see what the difference is." Remus said from the circle of Cassius's arms, one of Cassius's legs was hooked around both of his.

"The difference is that in my bed, I'm not in constant danger of falling off if I move an inch away from you."

"You can't still be on about last month." Remus smiled against Cassius's neck.

"You pushed me out of the bed!"

"I didn't mean it, I was sleeping!"

"Well, so was I until I woke up in pain on the floor."

"I'm sorry." Remus kissed Cassius's collarbone. "And I did say I was sorry then."

"Mm." Cassius shifted again. "My arm's asleep. Sit up a bit." Remus struggled to sit up. Even though his gashes and bruises were gone, his body was very tired. Cassius moved closer to the center of the bed and laid down on his back. Remus immediately climbed on top of Cassius, his legs nestling between Cassius's.

"I have to go soon." Cassius's hand smoothed up and down Remus's back, pausing occasionally to trace over a scar. Cassius had just started his third year of Auror Training.

"You're not going to stay for breakfast?"

"I was going to stop at the cafeteria at work." Cassius answered casually.

"I have food here." Remus tried not to sound _too_ defensive.

"I wish you'd told me you needed money instead of selling the sofa." Cassius said softly.

"I don't need charity." Remus struggled to sit up but Cassius's strong arms were too much for him to challenge this morning.

"Damn it, it's not charity. I love you. Where will you sit now? There's no furniture left in the sitting room."

"I'll have to rename it then, won't I." Remus scowled. "And anyway there's still the floor, it's perfectly fine for sitting."

"What will you sell next?"

"I don't know." He thought probably his bed, but he didn't want to say that out loud. Everything else was too dear to Remus. It had almost killed him when he'd sold the clock that had hung in the hallway…but his was the only hand that moved on it anymore.

"Remus, the next time you need money, will you tell me?" Remus didn't answer, just snuggled closer, trying to pull all the warmth he could from Cassius knowing that he'd be leaving soon. "Please let me help. I want to help, I want to make sure you're all right. And that means having food and wood for the fires and everything."

Remus couldn't answer. He hated that he couldn't find work because of his lycanthropy. He hated that Cassius often had to bring wood over for the fires because he'd had none. He hated that usually the only food he had was bread and butter. He'd known Cassius for a year but he hadn't been able to bring himself to ask Cassius for money…because he knew he'd never be able to pay back the loan. Cassius sighed.

"I'll still eat at work, you're tired." He slipped out from under Remus and stood. Remus turned on his side and watched Cassius get dressed, slowly covering his pale skin with black clothes. "You're not lying about the food, are you?"

Remus shook his head. "No, I have food. The sofa was worth quite a bit."

Cassius knelt down by the bed. "I love you. And I'm warning you now, if you let your pride starve you to death, I'll kill myself so I can follow you and yell at you for your stupidity for the rest of eternity." The green eyes flashed black for a moment. "Got it?"

"Got it." Remus whispered.

"Will you come over for dinner tonight? It's Tabby's birthday and Stevens is coming over as well." Remus nodded, a lump growing in his throat. "Good. All right." Cassius stood back up. He walked over and put another log on the fire, noting the large pile of wood Remus had been able to buy the day before. "You're warm enough?" Remus nodded. "You've got food. I told you I loved you. And I have my wand. I'm off then."

"No! Wait!" Remus grabbed at Cassius's coat. "You didn't kiss me. You have to kiss me."

"So I have to kiss you _and_ tell you I love you before I leave?"

"Yes." In a flash, Remus was gathered against Cassius and being kissed so that his body temperature went up a couple degrees. "Oh." He sighed as Cassius kissed his forehead after breaking the kiss. "Ok…you can go now."

"Thanks." Cassius grinned wryly. "Now I'll have to have a wank when I get to the Ministry."

* * *

**The Birds and the Bees**

(This scene takes place soon after Remus's 25th birthday, three months before Chapter 4)

"You know all that white sticky stuff that shoots out of me after we fool around?" Cassius asked slowly.

"Yes." Remus smiled bashfully as he crawled into Cassius's bed, Cassius crawled in on the other side.

"Well…here's something you might not know, since you aren't a Ravenclaw, that's a sign that I've enjoyed myself."

"I know that." Remus murmured quietly.

"Well, I hope you would since it happens to you too. So I'm wonder why you're asking me if I'm satisfied with our sex life."

Cassius had been gone on a training assignment for almost a week and Remus had had plenty of time to think about their relationship and its lack of actual sexual intercourse. He was worried Cassius would get too frustrated and leave him but he still didn't feel ready to mate.

"I just thought you might like it more if you you knowed with someone." Remus said softly.

"Remus! _Stop _going on about me having sex with someone else because it's _never_ going to happen. I'm happy with you, I'm happy with the way things are and when you're ready, we'll have sex and we'll both be even happier. Don't argue me now. And, would you just say it? Honestly! Say fuck."

"Fuck."

"No…actually _don't_ say it."

"Why not?"

"It makes me hard to hear you say fuck. I only just realized it since it's the first time you've ever said it."

"Really?" Feeling emboldened, Remus skimmed a hand down to touch Cassius underneath his pajama pants.

"Stop that."

"What? This?" Remus tightened his fingers and pulled.

"Yes." Cassius sucked in a sharp breath. "You. I missed you. _Oh_."

"So you don't want anyone else." Remus kissed Cassius softly, swallowing the choked sounds Cassius was making. "And you're happy with me….Just…Would you like it more? If you were inside me?" Remus asked softly and abruptly his hand was covered in white sticky stuff. He had his answer. Cassius was breathing hard and Remus felt an energy wave wash over him. "Your eyes have turned black…are you mad?"

Cassius shook his head once, trying to slow his breathing. "All the training…my magic…it's all…" He shook his head.

The air in the room started to vibrate. Cassius tackled him, kissing him until Remus forgot to breath and grinding against him until Remus found release and Cassius found release again.

"I think I might die when we actually have sex." Cassius murmured after his breathing was finally back under control.

"I hope not, it'd be a shame to wait 25 years for sex just to kill my first partner." Remus said lightly, still tingling from the passionate assault.

"And only."

"What?"

"You're first and only partner." Cassius turned and gazed at Remus. "I'll be your first and only partner. I will be."

Remus swallowed hard at the intensity in Cassius's bright green eyes. He opened his mouth automatically to remind Cassius that he was a werewolf when Cassius spoke.

"Don't worry, Remus. I remember you're a werewolf." His arms reached out and pulled Remus tightly against him. "Go to sleep."

Remus laid awake in Cassius's arms for a long time. He knew Cassius wasn't asleep either.

"I love you." He said quietly.

"I love you too, Remus."

Remus was sorry for bringing up sex. They'd both brought it up more often the past few months. Remus had always said they couldn't, saying he was a werewolf and they weren't ready or they weren't old enough for the mating bond…Cassius didn't seem to agree but they'd never really argued about it. Remus wondered if they'd ever have sex, if he'd ever feel ready.

* * *

Author's Notes: I have a slightly…er…dirtier version of the second scene, if you want it, email me or say in your review that you want it. It's nothing too much but it's not an R and I didn't want to get booted from FFnet.


	2. Trying Something New

Just a little drabble. :-) Enjoy!

* * *

"No, you…" Cassius winced. "Remus, just relax."

"I can't."

"You have to."

"I think we should do this the other way."

"We're doing it this way."

"You know what you're doing if we do it with you on top."

"Because I've had practice. Remus, you did this just fine two nights ago."

"I know…but it's all hazy…and you weren't facing me."

Cassius's hands brushed Remus's hair back from his forehead.

"I love you and I want to do this this way. Please? It's our honeymoon, you should indulge me."

"I just…I don't want it to be awful."

"It won't be." Cassius said confidently.

"All right." Remus said shakily. "But you seem really tight. Maybe I should I take it out and – "

"No! Damn it, Remus. I'm fine. It needs to go in further."

"I don't think I can do this."

"I knew Gryffindors were secretly cowards. You're like that lion in that movie."

"I am not!" Remus protested indignantly.

"You are too!"

"I am not!" Remus slammed his hips into Cassius's. Cassius's hands flew to Remus's shoulders and clenched them tightly.

"Oh!" Cassius gasped then grinned. "Wow. Ok, now slide _almost_ all the way out and then slide in again. That was good." Remus couldn't find his voice and he didn't want to move from the tight heat. He shook his head. "Remus, come on, please, please, please." Cassius rocked his hips up just a little.

Remus clenched his teeth together. Then he took a deep breath and slid almost out and slid all the way back in slowly and started a slow, tentative rhythm. It felt amazing.

"Oh…you…_oh_…" Cassius moaned. "Oh, what you just did…do that again."

"I don't know what I just did." Remus laughed uncertainly.

"You just…_oh_…you did that. _That_. That is brilliant." Cassius pulled Remus in for a kiss. "You are doing…great job, Mr. Lupin."

"Am I?"

"Yeah." Cassius answered breathlessly, his fingers digging into Remus's upper arms.

"You don't have…anyone to…compare me to…doing it this way."

"Doesn't matter…feels wonderful." Cassius smiled and Remus felt like he was falling, Cassius was so beautiful. He felt so good. "Remus, stop talking now and fuck me."


	3. First Christmas

This practically wrote itself – I love writing fluffy Remus and Cassius scenes! :-)

**First Christmas**

"Happy Christmas." Cassius murmured into Remus's ear. His voice sent a slither of arousal down Remus's spine.

"Mm." Remus rolled over sleepily and cuddled closer to his mate. Cassius kissed down Remus's chest to his groin, licking over Remus's morning arousal. Remus threaded his hand through Cassius's smooth hair as his hips arched up to his mate's mouth. "Cass?"

"Wha?" Cassius asked, his mouth full.

"You don't…have…to….we can…have sex." Remus gasped out, warmth spreading down to his toes and up to his fingertips.

Cassius lifted his head and smiled. "This is just the warm-up, Remus."

"I just…we used to do this before we could have sex and I thought-" The words were rolling out of Remus's mouth without thought, drawn out by Cassius's fingers sliding over his skin.

"Sex just adds to the things we can do, silly werewolf wife of mine, it doesn't have to take anything away."

"Oh. All right." Remus felt his body get hotter as Cassius crawled up his body to kiss his mouth.

"May I continue, then?"

"Yes, please." Remus breathed against Cassius's lips.

"So glad to have your cooperation." Cassius drawled.

"And…" Remus grabbed at Cassius's shoulders.

"Yes?"

"You'll do the thing with your fingers, too?" Remus asked hopefully.

"Which thing would that be?"

"You know." Remus whispered, bending his knees to capture Cassius where he wanted him.

"When I do this?" Cassius's fingers slipped between Remus's legs. Remus couldn't answer. "Could I get some verbal confirmation that this is what you want?" Cassius grinned as his fingers slid in further.

"Ngh." Remus said, pulling Cassius in for a wet kiss, swallowing Cassius's laughter.

Remus was arching up, panting and incoherent when Cassius's fingers were replaced. Remus's eyes flew open and met green eyes just inches away from his face. Suddenly, Remus couldn't breathe as he realized for the millionth time since they had mated that Cassius was _his_, only his. Remus was the _only_ one who could be joined with Cassius in this way, Cassius was his.

"Remus," Cassius rocked above him. "Breathe."

Remus's fingers clutched at Cassius's back as he took in a gasping breath, Cassius's scent made him dizzy. '_Mine!_' The wolf howled triumphantly.

"Love you." He growled, as his orgasm hit, pulling Cassius closer. Cassius jerked and then collapsed on top of him.

Feeling warm and contented, not to mention sticky and sweaty, Remus nuzzled Cassius's neck.

"So…the warm-up…is that the same thing as foreplay?"

"Yeah." Cassius pressed a kiss against Remus's neck before shifting to lay his head on Remus's chest.

"So…what's the sex part called?" Remus relaxed his hold just a bit and allowed one hand to stroke up and down Cassius's back.

"Sex."

"It doesn't have a special name?"

"Sex _is_ the special name. I suppose you could say making love or fucking or shagging or buggering or tossing the quaffle."

"What? Who says that last one?"

"Sixth and seventh year Ravenclaws, during Transfiguration class, when they're trying to make arrangements to have sex. It would be a handy euphemism for you to use since you don't like saying fuck."

"I am certainly not going to refer to sex as having anything to do with Quidditch, that's weird."

"You're going to say making love, aren't you."

"So what if I am?" Remus asked huffily.

"Doesn't matter to me, you can call it anything you like." Cassius's hand traced over a scar on Remus's ribs.

"I was just asking because before we just fooled around. And now all that's called foreplay because we can have sex now."

"You're really fixated on the fact we can have sex now, aren't you." Cassius said, his laughter tickling across Remus's chest.

"Well…it's a big thing."

"Thank you."

"What? Oh. No! I mean - yes, you are big, but I meant it's a big deal, it's special that we can have sex now."

"It is special." Cassius agreed. He lifted his face up and looked at Remus. "I love you. I'm glad you mated with me. I'm glad you married me."

"Me too." Remus kissed his husband, his mate, tenderly.

"Let's go open presents." Cassius jumped out of bed.

"And this is our first Christmas together." Remus said as he got out of bed much more slowly.

"We were together for Christmas last year." Cassius said as he did a quick cleaning spell on both of them.

"Our first Christmas as a _married_ couple." Remus said as he pulled on his pajamas

"That's special, too?" Cassius asked as he pulled his pajama pants on.

"Yes, of course it is!"

"Because we can have sex." Cassius said slowly.

"No, because we're married!"

"Right." Cassius said, with a slight shake of his head as he headed down the stairs.

"Just…it's special. We made a commitment." Remus said as he walked down the stairs behind his mate.

"I said right!"

"I know, but you didn't mean it."

"I meant it."

"Being married is a big deal."

"Not because of the sex."

"No, because you can have sex without being married – you had sex all the time before you married me."

"All the time? I spent the last two years 'fooling around' with you – which did not include sex!"

"Well…before that you had sex all the time."

"Riiiight. Hardly had time for school, eating or anything else except fucking."

"Oh…just…" Remus shook his head, he couldn't articulate what he felt. "It's just special."

"So…it's special that we're married _and_ it's special that we have sex but they're special for _completely_ separate reasons."

"Yes." Remus said firmly.

"Is this something that I'll understand when I get to be your age because I'm very confused right now."

"Maybe." Remus smiled. "It might help to have some gray hair too." He brushed his hand through his hair self-consciously. At twenty five, he only had a few streaks of gray now but werewolves were usually totally gray by their early forties.

"Really? I'll never understand it then." Cassius sat down on the floor next to the Christmas tree. There was a small pile of presents underneath.

"Why?" Remus asked as he looked down at his mate.

"Because my hair will just stay the same color."

"Really?"

"Great-Grandfather was one hundred twenty three years and Grandfather was eighty seven when they died in that potions accident and their hair had never changed. Father's hasn't changed either and he's…fifty nine."

"Huh." Remus said thoughtfully, lowering himself to straddle Cassius's hips. Cassius rubbed his nose against Remus's as they cuddled in front of the fire, next to the Christmas tree. Remus sighed happily.

"I don't know if you've really noticed but I do have white hair, so I've looked old since I was a baby."

"It's more silvery." Remus said, his fingers tangled in the hair in question. "And…what's that supposed to mean?"

"Just checking to see if you were listening, your eyes were glazed over." Cassius smirked.

"They were not!" Remus protested, even though he knew it was probably true. Moody had, on more than one occasion, teased Remus about making gooey eyes at Cassius.

"They were." Cassius pulled Remus closer to him so that their hips met. "Remus."

"Yes?" Remus slid his hands up Cassius's scarred back, feeling the warm skin clench under his hands.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"We have to fuck quick because I want to open my presents." Cassius's hands slipped under Remus's shirt.

"Oh, no. I'm opening my presents now, you'll have to wait to make love to me." Remus pushed himself off Cassius's lap but he didn't get to open any presents for another hour.


	4. Two Scenes

**Two Scenes that take place during ****Chapter 9 of Back In Black**

"Hi Cass, Remus." Sirius brushed the soot from his shirt and jeans. Jack followed a moment later. Remus, dressed in pajamas, a flannel bathrobe and slippers, waved from the counter. Cassius was sitting at the table, watching Remus.

"Hi Cousin." Sirius sat down across from Cassius who didn't answer him. "What's wrong?"

"I'm supposed to be resting," Remus answered. "I rested all day. And as soon as dinner is over, I'll go back to bed."

"We can go." Jack said quickly, taking Sirius's hand.

"Nonsense," Remus waved his hand dismissively. "I have to eat, and I'll enjoy the company."

"If you're worried about him, why aren't you helping?" Sirius asked, pulling Jack down to sit next to him.

"Because he made me sit over here." Cassius answered sullenly.

"I am perfectly capable of warming up enchiladas and making salad." Remus said calmly, but Sirius heard the edge of anger in his voice.

"He was at Saint Mungo's yesterday and this morning, did he tell you that?" Cassius turned black eyes on Sirius.

"No." Sirius said, startled.

"I'm fine now, there's no need to worry."

"You're not fine, you need to be resting. You're not going on any more of these missions for Dumbledore. I forbid it." Cassius said firmly.

"We'll talk about it later." Remus walked slowly over to the table and set the pan of enchiladas down. Sirius stood up quickly.

"I'll get the salad, have a seat, Remus."

"Thank you, Sirius." Remus sank down on the bench next to his mate.

"Why does _he_ get to help?" Cassius asked angrily.

"Because he doesn't treat me like I'm going to break at any moment."

"You _are_ going to break at any moment! You collapsed yesterday!" Cassius ground out.

"And I'm better now." Remus said firmly.

Cassius didn't answer and he didn't say another word for the rest of dinner. It reminded Sirius of visits at Grimmauld Place when he was younger and Cassius had sat silent for hours. Jack didn't seem to notice and Sirius remembered hearing that Cassius didn't talk much at work. Halfway through dinner, after Remus had slid his fingers over Cassius's hand for the third time as he reached for the juice, Cassius stood and they heard him go upstairs.

"Where's he going?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know. He's upset about me being in hospital. He hates it when I'm somewhere he can't get to me. I've been lectured about taking better care of myself five times today." Remus tilted his head, listening.

Footsteps came back downstairs. Cassius entered the kitchen with a quilt in his arms. He silently wrapped it around Remus and then sat back down next to Remus.

"My hand cold?" Remus asked gently. Cassius nodded and picked his fork back up. Remus leaned over slightly and brushed his lips against Cassius's cheek.

"So, you collapsed yesterday?" Sirius asked.

"Yes...I, um, hadn't been eating well when I was on the mission and I met Kingsley to give him the information I gathered and I fainted. He took me to St Mungo's." Remus answered. "And the healer I normally see wasn't there so they kept me overnight for observation."

"You need to eat." Sirius said sternly.

"I know. I thought I could get away with skipping a meal…or two. But I still haven't recovered from being sick before Christmas."

The meal was soon over and Sirius and Jack went back to Grimmauld Place. Cassius picked up Remus without a word and carried him up the stairs.

"Are you going to talk to me now?" Remus asked as Cassius set him on the bed. "Sam put a note in my chart so that if he's not there when I'm brought in again they'll summon him right away. So then I won't be kept there overnight."

"You won't be going there again."

"No, of course I won't be." Remus said quickly, reaching for his mate's hands. "Rest with me?"

"No." Cassius said quietly, tucking Remus into bed, and left without another word.

Remus sighed, closing his eyes. He woke up some time later in Cassius's arms. He looked at the clock on the beside table, it was near midnight. He turned to face his mate and kissed his neck.

"When'd you come to bed?"

"Just now."

"You need your sleep too." Remus said lightly.

"You need to eat properly."

"I know." Remus said with a sigh. "I did hear all your lectures today."

"And you won't go on any more missions."

"The Order needs my help."

"It's just…I promised I'd keep us both alive."

"And I've been making that promise more difficult to keep." Remus said, suddenly understanding. "All right. No more missions. And I'll eat properly from now on."

"Good."

* * *

"Scariest movie you ever saw?" Sirius asked, shaking his black hair back from his face.

"'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'" Cassius answered promptly.

"What?" Jack's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"He nearly broke all the bones in my hand, he gripped it so tightly." Stevens laughed. "And walking out of the theatre, with the big, scary auror here still hanging on to my hand, we saw this girl I was dating at the time. She was convinced I'd lied to her about never being involved with Cassie. Broke up with me right there."

"She was a cow anyway." Cassius shrugged, "Clara's a million gazillion times better."

"Thanks, Cassie." Clara smiled.

"And, anyway, it's really scary!" Cassius said defensively.

"What happens?" Sirius asked.

"Hold on." Stevens said. Cassius clapped his hands over his ears and at almost the same time, Remus and Stevens covered Cassius's ears also.

"He can't listen." Clara explained, reaching for a tortilla chip on the table.

"He…it really scared him?" Jack asked incredulously.

"Yeah, he had nightmares about that cute little shoe being killed, " Remus said. "There's this cartoon shoe, only in the movie cartoons are really real and there's this liquid and it kills cartoons. It's really rather disturbing and apparently rather like something that happened when Cass was little…And Judge Doom reminded him of Voldemort. It's this character with no hair and beady red eyes."

"He's actually seen Voldemort?" Jack asked.

"Voldemort's his godfather." Remus removed his hands from Cassius's ears as did Stevens. He pulled one of Cassius's hand down. "We're done talking about the movie, sweetheart."

"Voldemort's your godfather?" Jack asked.

"He and Father were best friends at school. No Death Eater will kill me, because I'm the Dark Lord's godson. It's really quite an honor." Cassius said sarcastically.

"Wow." Jack's voice was a mingle of horror and amazement.

"He used to come for dinners and stuff. They used to be in the basement for hours working on spells and potions." Cassius shrugged.

"Were they involved?" Sirius asked. Uncle Malfoy had been sinister and very handsome, like all the Malfoys. Maybe that was the combination of what Voldemort looked for in a boyfriend.

"Ugh! No! Father didn't like men and, anyway, he had taste." Cassius said arrogantly.

"You're so weird." Remus shook his head affectionately.

"So…what types of things did they do together then?"

"They formed the Death Eaters. Father helped Voldemort with all the spells that made him immortal." Cassius started to chew his fingers. "I remember being little, sitting on Father's lap while he read, tracing over the mark on his arm. I thought it was pretty. One of my first memories is the night that Luke got the mark. I was five. Father and Voldemort loved dark magic but they disagreed about stuff. Voldemort believes in fate, divination, prophesies, all that crap. Father didn't, he told Luke and me not to believe in it either."

Remus gently pulled Cassius's hand away from his mouth.

"Voldemort always used to tell Father that fate ordained he only have one child because Agnalthea died when she had Luke. They did all sorts of tea readings and card readings and everything said he would only have one son but Father still wanted another. Father said he was in control of his destiny. He always said 'Cassius, there is no fate, I proved that when you were born.'" Cassius's voice became deeper and colder as he imitated his father.

"Wow. Shit. I wish you talked more at work. That is…wow." Jack stared at Cassius in astonishment. Cassius shrugged.

"Owen took Divination and made Cassie help him with all his projects. Drove Cassie mad." Stevens laughed at the memory.

"Well, it's complete rubbish. Didn't predict Owen's death, did it? He was supposed to live to be seventy three according to that palm reading he did sixth year." Cassius snapped and the smile vanished from Stevens' face. Remus reached over and took Cassius's hand.

"I guess that proves there was one thing that Julius was right about." Remus said lightly. "He's probably ice skating in hell right now." Stevens smiled gratefully at Remus.

"Maybe not…Owen was horrible at Divination." Cassius muttered as he slung his arm around Stevens's shoulders and knocked their heads together gently.

"That's true enough. Remember when he predicted that Zabini would kiss McGonagall the night of the Halloween Ball our fifth year?"

Cassius laughed. "Zabini was horrified. He drank almost a whole bottle of fire whiskey and ended up snogging…some Hufflepuff…what was his name?"

"Oh…Merlin…." Stevens furrowed his brow as he tried to think.

"Oh, I remember that…it was right in front of everyone! Who was that?" Clara cried out. "He looked a lot like McGonagall, actually…Oh….I remember! Tad Smythe."

"Smythe! That's right. We teased Zabini about that for months. How could we forget that?" Stevens asked Cassius.

"I have an excuse, I don't know why you didn't remember it." Cassius smirked.

"So you two never did anything?" Jack asked as Stevens stretched his legs out, Cassius's arm still around his shoulder.

"What? No!" They both yelled, swiftly separating from each other. Clara and Remus started laughing, they had both admitted to each other the attractiveness of their partners. Once they had even joked about how hot it would be if Cassius and Stevens actually did start kissing during one of their wrestling matches.

"Although he did have wet dreams about me his whole third year."

"I. Did. Not." Cassius protested, his face turning red.

"You did."

"Did not!" Cassius shouted.

"Owen told me you did." Stevens crossed his arms across his chest and stared at Cassius.

"That's. Not. Fair! Owen wasn't supposed to tell! And….and…I wasn't allowed to do silencing spells!"

"So you admit you fantasized about me."

"I admit nothing." Cassius said, recovering his Malfoy voice with obvious effort.

"Regardless, Jack, no, we've never done anything. Not even when we've been drunk…at least not that I remember. And I only blacked out once and that was after Cassie mated with Remus so I know nothing happened."

"So you can only have sex with each other?" Jack asked Remus.

"Duh! Werewolf bond." Cassius said.

"I have, on occasion, imagined it was someone else, though." Remus said solemnly.

"What?" Cassius turned to him. "Who?"

"Gilderoy Lockhart." Remus managed to keep a straight face for only a moment more before bursting out in laughter followed quickly by Stevens and Clara.


	5. Poker Night

Author's Notes: I don't play Poker so…I have no idea if they are playing it correctly or not.

**Poker Night**

Clara dropped by Grimmauld Place after dinner one night in April to see Remus.

"Poker Night? That sounds very manly." Clara laughed. "Stevens will be so jealous, you'll have to tell us all about it."

"It does sound fun," Remus said mournfully, "But I'm going to go home, Hill will be here."

"So?"

"He's Cass's ex." Remus roared, clenching his hands into fists as he struggled with a surge of jealousy. The wolf was getting more possessive since he and Cassius were so often apart these days.

"Remus, you need to face the jealousy and deal with it. Like you made Cassius deal with his jealousy of Sirius."

"It's not the same." Remus's eyes were glowing golden now. Clara remembered it was the full moon the next night. "The wolf…"

"Am I going to have to give you a calming potion?" Clara put her hands on her hips and looked hard at Remus.

"No, I'm fine." A low, dangerous growl answered her.

"If you're going to pull this ridiculous werewolf possessive shit about Hill, I _will_ force it down your throat. Cassius is yours, you know that. You deserve a fun night playing cards with the guys and I'm not going to let you ruin it by being irrational."

"I'm not being irrational." Remus snarled.

"Wow. Well. You've convinced me." Clara said sarcastically. She continued to stare at Remus until she noticed his shoulders slump slightly. "Darling, do you _want_ to stay?"

"Yes… but I'll need a calming potion and I don't have any." The growl was still lacing Remus's words.

Clara pulled a small bottle out of the pocket of her robe. "I happened to bring you some, Tabby was worried you'd run out."

"Hi Clara." Sirius walked into the kitchen.

"Hi Sirius." Clara smiled as she poured some potion into a glass and handed it to Remus.

"You don't feel well, Remus?" Sirius asked as Remus gulped down the double dose.

"It's nothing, really." Remus smiled reassuringly as his voice began to sound more normal. Sirius glanced over at Clara who smiled brightly.

"I'm off. Don't want to get in the men's way!" Clara hugged Remus tightly. Pulling away, she continued, "Remember, I'm picking up Tabby at Hogwarts early tomorrow and bringing her back to Windy Corner for breakfast so I'll see you then. I love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

"I just remembered I have something to do." Hill said coolly. He and Tessen had arrived via floo a few minutes before.

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked with confusion. "What do you have to do?"

"None of your business." Hill started to reach for a handful of floo powder.

"Hill, could I talk to you?" Remus gestured towards the door. Hill followed cautiously. The minute they were outside the kitchen door, Hill spoke.

"Lupin, I didn't know you'd be here or I wouldn't have come. I thought … I know this is uncomfortable. I'm not going to stay."

"No, don't be silly."

"You're so polite." One corner of Hill's mouth quirked. "I know you don't like me. I understand."

"It's not that I don't like you." Remus said quickly. "I hardly know you. I told Cass not to be jealous about Sirius and I'm jealous about you and I need to not be. It's history."

"Ancient history." Hill nodded emphatically.

"Please stay. I'd like you to stay. Honestly."

Hill looked at him for a long moment. "All right. I will, as long as you tell me when you need me to leave."

"I will." Remus nodded.

* * *

Remus looked at his cards again and then asked Hill another question about the rules. Hill explained it patiently. Now he actually was talking a bit to Hill, Remus found he rather liked him, although he still got jealous when he thought of Cassius and Hill being together. Playing poker with the guys was fun. He was very glad Clara had 'made' him stay. He decided he'd buy her flowers tomorrow and send them to her office.

Cassius walked into the kitchen, noticing Hill, Tessen, Jack, Sirius and Remus sitting at the kitchen table, it'd been transfigured into a round table.

"Hello." Remus greeted Cassius with a smile.

"Hey, cousin, sit down and join the game." Sirius grinned.

"He can't join until this hand is finished." Jack said.

"How're you doing?" Cassius asked Remus.

"I haven't lost yet…but it's the first game."

"Huh." Cassius conjured a chair, Remus moved his chair closer to Sirius and Cassius sat between Hill and Remus. "I thought if you were doing badly you'd want to come to the movie."

"Nope, you and Stevens can have fun without me, just no Drunken Apparating please." Remus smiled.

"Sure. Who's turn is it?" Cassius asked, looking at Remus's cards.

"Your mate's." Tessen said, watching the two of them with open curiosity. Cassius was almost mute at work and rarely spoke to anyone, not even Remus, at Order meetings.

"You know how to play poker?" Jack asked with surprise. Cassius nodded. "Why didn't you ever join our game then?"

"I didn't want to spend an evening with you lot when I could spend it with Remus. Besides, Hill doesn't like me."

"True." Hill said dryly, as Cassius leaned over and looked at his cards. Remus noticed Hill tilted his hand so Cassius could look at the cards. "No helping Lupin." Hill said harshly.

"Aw, Cory, still sore about losing all those games to me?" Cassius grinned.

"Don't call me that. And you only won because you cheated." Hill scowled, his Glaswegian accent suddenly very clear.

"Malfoys never cheat. They manipulate the situation to get what they want." Cassius recited solemnly.

"That's semantics." Hill and Remus spoke together then smiled ruefully at one another.

"Don't hate the player, hate the game," Cassius smirked, "Cory."

"I didn't know you had a nickname." Tessen said, watching Hill, Cassius and Remus like a three way tennis match.

"I don't. I hate it. So don't call me that." Hill said tersely.

"He says that but he secretly loooves it." Cassius said in a sing-song voice earning a glare from Hill.

"How can it be a nickname when it's got the exact same number of syllables as my name?" Hill demanded.

"Because it ends in an e sound." Cassius answered. "Cor-eeeee."

"You." Hill clenched his jaw. Remus could hear the teeth grinding.

"This is where he'd threaten to hex me normally, but you're here." Cassius said happily to Remus.

"Stop baiting him. Hill and I were getting along fine until you arrived." Remus said calmly, taking Cassius's hand in his and kissing it. Cassius opened his mouth to respond when Remus spoke again. "What time's the movie?" He asked as he looked down at his cards, debating what to do, tapping their clasped hands against his mouth as he thought.

"Stevens is coming here at 8:30, movie's at nine."

"I want to get rid of two cards, so that means I get two new ones, right?"

"Yeah." Cassius answered. Remus let go of Cassius's hand and tossed down two cards. Jack nodded in confirmation, dealing Remus two new cards.

"Cousin, you should play strip poker with Jack, it's fun."

"Strip Poker? What does that mean?" Sirius asked curiously.

"You lose clothing when you lose in the game. We used to play it in the dorms." Cassius answered.

"The more shit I find out about Ravenclaws, the more I suspect they aren't academically minded at all." Tessen shook his head. "You played that, Hill?"

"Yeah. Muggle cousins." Hill replied with a shrug.

"So…all those games you lost?" Sirius leaned forward.

"Yes, they were strip poker games and no, I didn't lose, Malfoy cheated."

"Manipulated to get what I wanted. Made it quicker to get my co– **OW**!" Cassius winced and rubbed his side where Hill had elbowed him sharply.

"Sorry, Lupin." Hill said politely.

"Quite all right, I expect you saved us all from hearing a rather rude comment." Remus nodded.

Tessen and Jack both snorted. Sirius stared and Corbin arched his eyebrow at Cassius as he tossed three cards down on the table. Jack dealt Hill three cards silently as Stevens walked into the kitchen.

"You're playing poker? Brilliant!" Stevens walked towards the table. "Hey, Corbin." Stevens smiled and Hill smiled back. It was the first time Remus had ever seen Hill smile and it lit up his face. He could see why Cassius had been attracted to him. And, Remus thought proudly to himself, he wasn't even jealous. Of course, that was probably because he was distracted by Cassius nuzzling his ear and whispering that he loved him. 

"Hi Stevens. We play every Friday night."

"I'm free next Friday night." Stevens said pointedly. "And I don't cheat, like Cassie here." Stevens ruffled Cassius's hair causing Hill to laugh.

"Do you know everyone?" Corbin asked.

"I know Sirius and Jack, and I remember you from school but I don't think we ever talked."

"This is Liam Tessen. He's an auror too. This is Aloysius Stevens, he's a chaser for Chudley. Just don't call him by his first name. " Corbin introduced Stevens.

"Nice to meet you both. Ready then, kiddo?"

"Yeah." Cassius pushed back his chair from the table.

Remus leaned over quickly and kissed Cassius. "I love you."

"Love you too. You going home after?"

"Yes. I'll see you there."

"Bye!" Stevens and Cassius walked out of the kitchen.

Tessen looked down at his hand then asked for one card.

"So, next game…strip poker?" Sirius winked at Jack who flushed.

"No way." Remus and Hill again spoke at the same time.

* * *

"So, did Cass really cheat at Poker?" Remus asked during a break between games.

"He did." Hill smiled as he set his beer down. His accent had gotten stronger as the evening wore on. "Yeah. Owen and I, it was like we were proud when he cheated, you know? He had such a hard time remembering all the rules to a game, and so when he remembered the rules enough to actually know when he was breaking them, well, we couldn't get too mad."

"I understand that." Remus smiled.

"He's really gotten a lot better since you've been together."

"I thought you two never talked at work."

"We don't…I still keep my eye on him though." Hill stopped suddenly.

"Oh?" Remus prompted.

"Well… When we started Training, Owen was worried about Cassie's memory…what would happen if he messed up a hex or something. He made me promise I would look out for Cassie. So I did. There were several overnight training sessions, I had to make sure Cassie took his sleeping potion – without him finding out. And after Owen died…" Hill's blue eyes clouded over then he shook his head. "Then he got better – probably when you started dating."

"So…you still care about him?" The words were out of Remus's mouth before he thought about them.

"That's a loaded question, coming from you." Hill looked down at the bottle of beer in his hand. "Honestly, I care about him, because he was my first. But I don't think we were even friends. We're too much alike. We didn't talk about emotions. There were whole chunks of our relationship missing because we just wouldn't talk. So…it's mostly because I promised Owen."

"I wish I'd known Owen."

"Ah, he was great. We stayed friends, even after I broke up with Cassie. You're like him…I mean…you make a good pair."

"If you're single, Cass loves playing matchmaker." Remus said lightly, picking up on the lonely tone in Hill's voice.

Hill laughed bitterly. "Found that out a little too late, didn't I."

Remus watched Hill's eyes fly over to look at Jack before he took a long drink.

* * *

After a few more games, Remus could feel the calming potion wearing off.

"I'm going to go home. It was fun though." Remus stood, yawning for effect.

"Join us anytime." Tessen said.

"Thanks." Remus turned to Hill. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Hill smiled.

* * *

"You have a good time tonight?" Cassius asked. He'd just gotten home from the movies. Remus was getting ready for bed.

"Yes. They're all very nice. You should talk to them more at work, they all like you a lot." Remus put toothpaste on his toothbrush, watching Cassius in the mirror.

"Sure." Cassius shrugged.

"Hill and I had a nice talk."

"Really? That's surprising." Cassius said sarcastically.

"Did you know he and Owen stayed friends?"

"Yeah. He's friends with Stevens too. I just never hang around when he's there. We don't get along."

"I saw that. You two are a lot alike." Remus set his toothbrush on the counter.

"You mad at me?" Cassius asked quietly. When he'd reached for his mate a moment ago, Remus had quickly moved out of his reach.

"No." Remus turned around and walked towards the door.

"Are you sure?" Cassius reached for him again.

"Yes." Remus sidestepped and walked across the hallway.

"Then…why aren't you letting me touch you?"

"Because…if you touch me…I don't have good control right now." Remus knew the calming potion had completely worn off now and he was holding on to his control by a thread. The wolf was clamoring to claim its mate, to re-affirm their bond. The anxiety of the past year had strongly affected the wolf and made him more possessive of his mate. Cassius's shoulder hadn't been fully healed since before Christmas, four months ago.

"Oh." Cassius shut the door behind him and leaned against it. Remus walked towards the fire, warming himself in front of it. "You didn't seem jealous of Corbin."

"Clara gave me a calming potion. It helped a lot."

"So you were jealous? You told me it was silly when I was jealous of Sirius because nothing can separate us."

"I know I did." Cassius's scent was making Remus dizzy.

"So it's silly of you to be jealous about Corbin."

"I know. I'm glad Clara made me stay. I like him."

"He never touched me like you touch me."

"I know. You're mine now." Remus's voice was a dark growl.

"I like it when you're possessive. You won't hurt me." Cassius whispered. Remus moved in a blur and grabbed Cassius's face pulling him down for a kiss. He moved to Cassius's neck and nipped him sharply. Cassius moaned. "Oh! Please." Cassius choked out a cry as Remus slammed him against the door.

"You're mine." The wolf growled, ripping open Cassius's shirt and latching his mouth onto the ring that glinted on Cassius's chest. "Mine." His fingers dug into Cassius's back, curling around the angles of the shoulder blades, pulling Cassius closer to him. He took a step back, gulping in air. "On bed. Naked. Now."

Cassius scrambled to get undressed and onto the bed as soon as possible. Remus's eyes were glowing, the full moon was less than twelve hours away and Remus could feel it pulling at him, sharpening his senses, making him ache for his mate. Cassius reached for Remus and Remus slammed his hands down on the bed causing the green eyes to widen in shock.

"Sorry." Remus pulled back, letting go of Cassius, trying to get the wolf under control.

"S'all right." Cassius said softly. "Claim me." Remus nudged his knees under Cassius's thighs and curled his hands around Cassius's wrists again, kissing Cassius's neck as he heard Cassius murmur a lubrication spell.

"Mine." Remus's vocabulary had narrowed down to the one word that was rushing through his blood. "Mine." He slid into Cassius as his fingers tightened. He could feel Cassius's pulse under his fingertips. "Mine."

"I love you." Cassius's eyes fluttered shut as Remus pressed his forehead against the magical writing on Cassius's collarbone. Remus lost the last vestiges of control and spiraled into a desire-colored haze.

* * *

He was awoken by Cassius shifting under him. Remus pried his fingers away from Cassius's wrists reluctantly and gathered Cassius in his arms, moving to rest his mate's head on his shoulder.

"You all right?" Remus asked, his voice shaky.

"Mmm. Think I'll have to call in sick to work." Cassius murmured against Remus's neck.

"Why?" Remus sat up, running panicked hands over Cassius's body. The only visible sign of damage was the blood trickled down from the bite mark on his shoulder. Remus leant forward without thought to lick up the blood. Cassius's fingers twined in the graying hair. Remus pulled away after turning the lick into several slow kisses. "You're all right?"

"Yeah. I thought we could just spend the day together." Cassius smiled gently. "After a few more hours of sleep."

"Sounds wonderful." Remus laid back down against Cassius and was lulled back to sleep by his mate's warmth.


	6. Hippogriffs

Just a little fluffy drabble that takes place shortly after Cassius and Remus got married (between Chapters 7 and 8 in Finding Love). Enjoy!

**Hippogriffs**

"I…mmm…" Remus's limbs were trembling.

"Did I break you?" Cassius said breathlessly, flopping over on to his back.

Remus let out a small contented noise as Cassius gathered him into his strong arms.

"I love you so much." Remus sighed as he nuzzled against Cassius's jaw. "It's like…I was a puzzle that was incomplete and now…I have all my pieces."

"You're so silly after sex." Cassius pressed his lips to Remus's damp forehead.

"I just…I just…it's hard to explain how I feel, now we're together." Remus tipped his head up and kissed Cassius. "It's wonderful."

"So, you were a werewolf who had a pack, then lost your pack, then you found a new pack and a mate."

"It's not a metaphor if it's true." Remus laughed softly, moving a leg to rest over Cassius's.

"Oh. So what's another metaphor?"

"Um….I was a Hippogriff without wings and now I have wings."

"Aren't Hippogriffs born with wings?"

"Shush, it's just a metaphor."

"They _are_ born with wings though, right?" Cassius raised his head to look at Remus earnestly.

"No, they walk around the Forbidden Forest looking for their wings which just flap about attached to nothing."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Mmm. They're not complete until they find their wings. Just like I wasn't complete without you."

Remus caressed Cassius's back, tracing over scars and drawing words of love. He was beginning to think Cassius had fallen asleep when Cassius spoke.

"So…you were a toaster that didn't have any bread and now you do."

"That's a lovely – if weird – metaphor. So…I'm a toaster and you're bread?"

"Yeah."

"And how do you know about toasters?"

"Stevens has one at his flat, I always burn my hand on it because I forget it gets hot."

"Ah."

"So…that's a good metaphor, right?" Cassius rolled onto his back.

"Right." Remus trailed his hand down Cassius's stomach. "The bread goes in the toaster and the toaster get hot and warms the bread up until the bread pops out.".

"I hadn't even thought of that." Cassius said softly, shifting to get closer to Remus.

* * *

"Narcissa?" 

"Cassie!" Narcissa stood and rushed over to her brother in law to give him a big hug. "I'm so glad you came to see us!"

"It's almost time for dinner but I wanted to ask you something."

"All right." Narcissa braced herself as she wondered what the question was, Cassius looked so solemn.

"Are Hippogriffs born with wings?"

Narcissa felt a smile tugging at her lips, that certainly wasn't a question she had expected. Cassius was still looking at her, waiting for her answer. "Yes."

"I knew you'd know." Cassius looked relieved. "You did really well in Care of Magical Creatures."

"Highest marks in my year." Narcissa nodded proudly, sweeping her hair back over her shoulders. "Who told you they didn't have wings?"

"My boyfriend, he was going on about this silly metaphor and said Hippogriffs had to find their wings."

"Like he found you?" Narcissa understood immediately. "That's very sweet."

"He said it was true." Cassius scowled.

"He was teasing, I'm sure." Narcissa wished she could meet this boyfriend who made Cassius so happy. Cassius could be very secretive, just like his brother and father.

"My son." Julius Malfoy strode into the parlor.

"Hello Father."

"How are you?"

"I'm well."

"Why don't you grow your hair out? You don't look like a proper Malfoy." Julius's hand stroked over Cassius's short hair.

"It gets in my way."

"And I suppose that boyfriend of yours cuts it."

"Yes."

"He is a pureblood, isn't he?"

"Do you want me to lie?"

"Why couldn't you have found a nice pureblood boy? Then you could have a child to carry on the line."

"Father." Cassius groaned.

"I just would have thought you learned your lesson after The Mudblood."

"We were just talking about Hippogriffs, Julius." Narcissa interjected, before Julius could say anything more.

"Hippogriffs. I remember the first time we went to the zoo, Cassius, you liked them the best."

"Did I?" Cassius couldn't remember the first time he went to the London Fantastical Zoo. The family went often because Julius had been on the Board of Directors for years.

"Yes you did. You were only two or three. I can still see you, pointing to them and pulling on your mother's hair." Julius smiled at the memory as Cassius tried not to stare. "Of course, you were so young, probably why you don't remember."

"Yes, Father."

"My boy." Julius patted Cassius's arm fondly. "My precious boy." He placed both hands on Cassius's face and kissed Cassius's forehead. Then he let go and walked towards the door.

Cassius watched, overwhelmed by the display of affection from his usually cold father.

"Dinner is served, come along you two." He walked briskly out of the door.

"Wha…he…" Cassius gaped, trying to find words.

"Lucius has changed his potions." Narcissa said quietly as she looped her arm through Cassius's and started to walk towards the door. "He still has outbursts of temper…but…it's better."

"I like him when he's like this."

"I know…he's almost lovable, if one forgets the things he's done." Narcissa sighed. "I'm glad you decided to come to dinner. Draco has missed you."

* * *

Remus was sitting on the sofa in the sitting room when Cassius walked in. He set his book down and held his arms out to Cassius. 

"Hi." Cassius sat down on Remus's lap and Remus circled his waist.

"How was dinner?" Remus nuzzled his mate's neck, breathing in his scent.

"Fine." Cassius pulled Remus's arms around him tighter. "Hippogriffs are born with wings."

"Are they really?" Remus grinned against Cassius's shoulder.

"You know they are."

"It made my metaphor work." Remus shrugged unrepentantly.

Cassius huffed in answer.

"I didn't think you really believed me." Remus said softly, sliding his hands down and up Cassius's chest. Cassius shifted so his legs straddled Remus's. Remus kissed Cassius's neck as one hand slid down to rub over Cassius's growing hardness.

"You don't…you always…tell me the truth." Cassius gasped and jerked as Remus unzipped his pants and slipped his hand inside.

"I'm sorry for teasing. I won't do it again." Remus nipped at Cassius's neck as Cassius's head fell back against his shoulder. "You're so beautiful. All mine."

Cassius pushed his hips back against Remus earning another nip. His left hand slipped between his back and Remus's body to rub Remus. Remus growled as he pushed into Cassius's hand, sliding his right hand up and down Cassius in an increasing pace.

"Please, Remus." Cassius panted as Remus's left hand slid under his shirt to pull at the ring on his chest.

"All mine." Remus growled, kissing Cassius's cheek then his mouth as Cassius turned his head. It was an awkward kiss because of the angle and didn't last long. Cassius was making soft sounds in his throat as Remus caressed him. "Cass, I love you so much." Cassius shook as his orgasm hit. After a moment, he shifted slightly to bury his face in Remus's neck, his breath still coming in shaky gasps. "I could get used to this as a coming home ritual." Remus said softly. Cassius laughed.

"So you're still glad you married me?" He asked. Remus could hear the insecurity in the question.

"Yes, I am. Of course, it's only been a few months." Remus said teasingly. "I'm very glad." He added firmly.

"Shower with me, I'm all sticky." Cassius tucked himself back into his pants and zipped them up. He stood and held his hand out to Remus.

"All right." Remus stood.

"We're going to have sex in the shower." Cassius announced as he started up the stairs.

"I expected nothing less." Remus smiled.


	7. Only You

Warning: SPOILER for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! It's not anything really major but...don't read if you don't want anything to be spoiled for you.

S

P

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A little funny something inspired by my reading of Book 6. I am actually very happy Remus will have someone to be happy with - That was why I created Cassius Malfoy. So I'm glad JKR and I were on the same page – even if the person she's paired up with Remus isn't a tall blond man. :-) And even though the romance with Tonks seems to come out of left field. But...I like Remus to be happy so...

Takes place in my Alternate Universe, during the events of OOTP, before Harry has come to live at Windy Corner.

**Only You**

"Cassius!" Remus shouted up the stairs. "I'm leaving! Dumbledore just owled me with the location." There was no response. Remus started walking up the stairs. "Cass?" He looked in their bedroom where Cassius was curled up on their bed. "Cass? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Cassius tightened his arms around Remus's pillow and burrowed his face into it. "Just tired."

Remus laid down and put his hand on Cassius's hip. "What's wrong?"

"I miss you when you're away."

"I know. But it's only one night. I promise, I'll come back as soon as I can."

"Tonks is going with you?"

"Yes. I'm meeting her at Grimmauld Place."

Cassius scowled.

"What?"

"You think she's pretty?"

"What?" Remus blinked. "Well, yes, I do think she's pretty. I could do with her having hair-colored hair more often, but she does managed to carry off the odd colors. Must help that she can change her eye color to complement it."

"She's not that good of an auror." Cassius huffed.

"I'll admit, she's a little clumsy, but she'd dedicated. I think she'll improve over time. And she's really very nice. I like her very much."

"How splendid for you that you get to spend the night together then." Cassius said icily.

Remus blinked at his mate for a few dumbfounded moments.

"Are…are you _jealous_?"

"No." Cassius said quickly, turning over.

"You are!" Remus sat up, feeling shocked. He pulled Cassius's shoulder, forcing him on to his back. "For Heaven's sake, Cassius! I'm _gay_! And I am very happily married to _you_."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Remus answered calmly, wanting to add 'daft idiot' but he restrained himself with considerable effort.

"It's just…she gets all…I don't know…around you. She likes you."

"Just because she likes me doesn't mean I like her in that way."

Cassius sighed and a pale hand touched Remus's arm tentatively. "And you'll be seeing Sirius too."

"Cassius Julian Aurelius Malfoy Lupin, so help me-" Remus stopped and took a deep breath. He unzipped Cassius's jeans and reached inside. "How much do I love you?"

"A lot." Cassius whispered.

"Do I love anyone else the way I love you?" Remus brushed his mouth against Cassius's.

"No." Another whisper answered him as Cassius'seyes fluttered shut.

Remus kissed Cassius's neck as Cassius began to gasp and arch beneath him.

"I love you," Remus growled, nipping at Cassius's ear. "Only you."

Cassius mumbled something incoherent as Remus felt warm stickiness on his hand.

"I love you." Remus repeated firmly. "No one else."


	8. Chapter 8

For XaveriiJade who wondered what Cassius thought the first time he tried to take it _further_ and Remus turned him down because he was a werewolf and he wasn't ready to mate.

**Fumblings in the Dark**

Remus's hands pushed at Cassius's shoulders.

"What?" Cassius panted.

"I…I think I should go." Remus said breathlessly. "It's late."

"It's late? It's Friday night." Cassius leaned in to kiss Remus's neck, his hands caressing Remus's scarred skin underneath his shirt.

"Stop. Really." Remus pushed harder and Cassius was forced away from Remus's body. Remus was stronger than he looked, Cassius had forgotten that.

"What's wrong?" Cassius asked with concern, he could barely think straight; he just wanted to kiss Remus, lick him, sink into him until nothing else in the world mattered. Cassius watched as Remus bit his lip and blushed.

"I don't want to…" Remus turned pinker. "Be a tease or anything."

"You're not."

"I will be if this," Remus waved a hand between them, "goes on any longer."

"What?"

"I'm a werewolf."

"I know that."

"Well, it's just….sex is a big commitment to a werewolf. It's not something that I'm ready to do and so, I think I better go." Remus finished in a whisper.

"You don't want to have sex." Cassius said slowly, to make sure he'd understood.

"No. And…I think you do, I mean, you were…you know." Remus pointed down to Cassius's groin which was still pressing against Remus.

"I know what I was doing." Cassius snapped.

"Well!" Remus snapped back. "Then I think I should go."

"I have control over myself, you know." Cassius was aware the fact the room had gotten colder was contradicting his words. "I wouldn't do anything you didn't want. I wouldn't force you."

"No, I know that." Remus said quickly, "I only meant—" His words were broken off by a violent shiver. "Sirius always said I shouldn't tease."

Cassius felt his anger dissipate, Remus hadn't been accusing _him_, and he knew he wasn't his father. Remus had been worried because of something Cassius's thoughtless cousin had said. "You weren't teasing." Cassius reached for Remus's hands chafing them together to warm them as the room's temperature returned to normal. "I know sex the first time is a big deal for werewolves, you've already told me that and I remember it, Remus, really I do remember. I know what it means. I know we aren't ready for that yet. And in the meantime, I know you're not a tease."

"Really?" Remus asked tentatively.

"Yes. Really." Cassius brushed his fingers through Remus's hair, noticing a few new strands of grey amidst the brown.

Remus's gaze lowered. "I still think I should go."

"All right, if you want to." Cassius said carefully. "You could always stay over in the guest room, the bed's made up. Then we could spend all day tomorrow together. I'll even bring you breakfast in bed."

"I…" Remus hesitated.

"Don't you trust me?"

"You know I do." Remus's hands clenched in Cassius's shirt and Cassius fought back a sharply triumphant smile.

"Then stay over."

"All right." Remus agreed softly.

* * *

After Remus had left Sunday afternoon, Cassius started to gather every book he could find about werewolves and their mating habits. He knew he wanted to be with Remus, it was just a matter of convincing Remus to mate with him. 


	9. Full Moon

Because I noticed that it was a full moon tonight (or at least very close to a full moon), and because I've been getting WONDERFUL reviews for Finding Love that have led me back to my favorite OTP, I felt inspired to post a little something about Remus, my favorite werewolf.

* * *

"I can flirt." Cassius muttered petulantly, stirring sugar into his tea cup with more violence than was necessary.

"No, you can't." Stevens said calmly, reaching for a buttered scone.

"I can." The spoon clattered onto the table.

"You can't." Stevens declared, around the mouthful of delicious baked goods.

"Remus, I can flirt, can't I?"

"Flirt with whom?" Remus had just walked into the kitchen, it was a full moon night so he was moving rather slowly.

"Just flirt, in general."

"Umm." Remus looked at Cassius thoughtfully.

"And that would be a no, he's just too nice to say so." Stevens said, raising his hands triumphantly.

"I flirted with _you_."

"You didn't actually." Remus shook his head.

"I did!"

"If you did, how was it that I was surprised to find out you wanted to date me?"

"Because you didn't pick up on my flirtations. S'not my fault you're thick."

"Ah."

"Because I _can_ flirt." Cassius stirred in another spoonful of sugar with a vicious twirl.

"Of course, you can." Remus answered soothingly as he sank down on the bench next to Cassius.

"See." Cassius turned on Stevens accusingly as he pulled Remus on to his lap.

"He's only agreeing with you because he loves you. You can't."

"I can!" Cassius growled.

"Why are you two arguing about this?" Remus asked, resting his forehead against Cassius's cheek.

"Because...why are we arguing about it?"

"I was flirting with some bird at the pub last night but I didn't get her number. Cassie said he could have done better...well...had it been a bloke and I said he couldn't."

"And I could have." Cassius said vehemently. Remus looked at him, one eyebrow quirking upwards. "If I weren't mated to you, that is." Cassius added quickly.

"You don't flirt." Stevens sounded exasperated. Remus wondered just how long the argument had been going on. "Propositioning someone is not the same as flirting. Flirting is _subtle_."

"I _am_ subtle." Cassius insisted.

"Only if subtle has suddenly and completely changed its meaning."

"Remus, tell him I'm subtle."

"I'm subtle." Remus echoed obediently, winking at Stevens who immediately grinned.

"That's not-"

"I know what you meant. Sweetheart, you are many things, but you're really not subtle." Remus said, trying to break the news gently.

Cassius stared at him incredulously.

"Which isn't a horrible thing." Remus continued quickly. "Not everyone is good at flirting."


End file.
